Carnival Freak (Simile)
In the opening pages of the novel, Karim writes in his diary that he wished people would ignore him at school; instead, everyone stares at him, making him feel "like a carnival freak." In this simile, Karim emphasizes his sense of alienation from the rest of the class by comparing the attention he receives to the dehumanizing practice of carnival sideshow acts in which people are put on display for the public to gawk and jeer at.
Like Wildfire (Simile)
After a student spots Karim at the park with baby Jad, rumors about the child being Karim's son proliferate through the student body. The narrator uses the familiar simile "spread like wildfire" to emphasize how quickly and unstoppably the rumor moved from person to person, the way fires engulf large stretches of land.
Shock the Little Imports (Metaphor)
During the ski trip in Part I, the French teacher reprimands Dave for making aggressive and sexually explicit comments. Dave feigns remorse, and says that he wouldn't want to "shock the little imports." Using metaphoric language, Dave refers to students who have recently migrated to Canada as "imports," a comparison that is dehumanizing and patronizing.
Pee-Drenched Little Package (Metaphor)
Late in the novel, the narrator emphasizes the extent to which Jad has soiled his diaper by referring to him as "a howling, stinking, pee-drenched little package." In this metaphor, Jad's diaper is so full of pee that it is the most noticeable thing about him.
